


The Number (Reprise)

by bigficenergy



Series: Seasons Greetings from Schitt's Creek [2]
Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Christmas Fluff, M/M, Surprise Piano Playing, Very Tipsy David
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-28 18:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21141467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigficenergy/pseuds/bigficenergy
Summary: David gets tipsy at the Brewer Family Christmas Eve Party and reveals a secret talent.





	The Number (Reprise)

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Dan Levy revealing on the EW Binge podcast that originally, David was only supposed to accompany Moira on piano in "Asbestos Fest" (before Catherine said he should perform it with her). This led to a thread on Tumblr with sullymygoodname, which led to this fic.
> 
> Also, shoutout to kiranerys42 for remembering the reference in season two to David having harpsichord lessons as a kid.

Patrick had warned David that his Aunt Jane’s “Yule mules” would be strong. David had taken it as reassurance.

They’re due to spend a Christmas with Patrick’s parents, but having not been around Patrick’s extended family since the wedding, David had been nervous for the Brewers’ annual Christmas Eve party. The wedding had been a blur of all of their family and friends, while Christmas with the Brewers would be a much cozier affair, with no Stevie or Alexis to hide behind.

So David defends himself with two Yule mules in quick succession, while Patrick watches warily and nurses his first. It seems to do the trick, though. David’s shoulders lose their tension and his laughter becomes more genuine. He still clings to Patrick’s side, which is fine. Patrick loves his family, but he knows it’s probably best that his cousins don’t get a chance to corner David.

Partway into his third mule, David inevitably has to go to the bathroom. No longer flanked by his husband, Patrick’s grandmother is able to corner him in the kitchen and ask the question she asks at every family event.

“Where’s your guitar, Patrick? Won’t you play something for us?”

“Yeah, Pat,” his cousin Marc teases, coming into the kitchen for another beer. “You haven’t had the chance to make the rest of us look bad in front of our spouses since your wedding.”

Patrick flips him the bird surreptitiously and turns back to his grandma.

“Sorry Gram, my guitar’s back home.”

“Oh, the piano then!” she says, not deterred. “The Christmas songs, like when you were little! Remember when you played for that pageant and you were dressed like a little elf?”

“Who could forget that?” Marc says, clapping Patrick on the back on his way back out of the kitchen.

Patrick feels himself blushing. The adults always liked to have him showcase his talents at family gatherings, and his cousins always teased him for it. It’s all in good fun, but he still gets embarrassed. He’s also relieved David isn’t here to learn about the elf costume. Patrick opens his mouth to try to let his grandma down gently - or at least put off playing anything until the party is a little drunker - when the sound of the piano being played in the other room interrupts him.

“Oh! Looks like someone beat you to it!” Gram says.

Patrick isn’t sure who. He hears the sound of someone playing like they’re trying to remember where a song starts, which seems unlikely for his mom, who has played all her life with daunting precision, or for his dad, whose favorite and only party gag is telling everyone he’s finally learned a new song, and then playing “Chopsticks” every time, without fail. So Gram takes Patrick’s arm and they go into the living room. As they turn the corner, whoever it is that’s at the piano has worked it out and is playing a “Jingle Bells” intro that leads into “Twelve Days of Christmas” and then quickly onto something else. Patrick thinks the particular combination of songs sounds familiar.

Once the piano is in view, Patrick’s eyes widen. Gram gives a delighted gasp.

David is sitting at the piano.

His back is to the room and he’s playing his way through the Christmas medley he and his mother had performed at the town’s Asbestos Fest not long after he and Patrick had gotten together. That was years ago. They’re married now. And yet…

“Patrick!” his mom whispers, shuffling over to him and Gram with his dad in tow. “You never told us David could play piano!”

“I… didn’t know,” Patrick says, eyes still on his husband.

How had he not known?

He turns to his parents. “Who- how- who got him to play?”

“He sat down on the bench and we told him the party rule, that if you sit there you had to play something,” his mom explains.

“We tried to tell him we were just teasing, but he insisted,” his dad adds. “Said something about filling in for Paul Shaffer at a family Christmas party in 2009.”

They continue to listen as David plays on. He’s not perfect, but he’s good, far too good for someone who’s had as much alcohol as he’s had, which makes Patrick wonder how good he’d sound sober. Around him, his family watches and listens, some of them bobbing and swaying along, a few trying to sing some of the words before David moves on to the next song in the medley.

“Pat looks like he needs a minute,” he hears Marc whisper to his wife Marie.

Patrick and Marie both elbow him from each side.

“Ow! What? I’m being supportive!” he whispers loudly. Then more quietly, to Patrick, “If you need an escape, I’ll cover for you. I’ll send David up after you in five minutes.”

Patrick just nudges him again and shushes him so he can hear the finale of the medley. David hits a very wrong chord and snort-giggles to himself before finishing out strong. The room erupts in applause and David spins around in surprise, apparently not aware that he’d captivated the entire room. He recovers, smiling wide and unabashed.

“Thank you, thank you so much,” he says. “Don’t forget to tip your bartender! Aunt Jane is keeping this party _ lit_. Thank you, Aunt Jane!”

Patrick is laughing and shaking his head when David’s eyes finally land on him. His parents thankfully coax his Gram over to talk with some of his other relatives, and Marie drags Marc away so David has room to come over and wrap his arms around Patrick, making them stumble a little.

“There you arrre,” David says. “Kitchen was too far, I hoped you’d find me.”

“Didn’t expect to find you _ there_,” Patrick says, wrapping his arms around David’s waist.

“Where?”

“At the piano. _ Playing _the piano.”

“Hmm?”

“David, why didn’t you tell me you play piano?”

David furrows his brows and pouts. “I don’t.”

“Just now,” Patrick laughs. “You played piano just now, in front of everyone. The whole Number.”

“Oh that!” David says, as if he’d just remembered. He waves a hand dismissively. “My parents made me take harpsichord lessons when I was a kid, it’s nothing.”

“So on top of that, you play harpsichord?”

“On top of what?”

“Okay, I’m gonna give you a pass because of how many of Aunt Jane’s cocktails you’ve had,” Patrick says, dropping his voice low, “but later, we’re gonna talk about you revealing this very sexy thing about yourself years after we’ve been together, and in front of my whole family.”

David blows a raspberry and smirks, leaning in to whisper in Patrick’s ear.

“You already knew that I’m good with my hands.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still laughing about "Yule mules", the most perfect Google search result ever for seasonal cocktails.
> 
> I considered sitting on this until December, but I was too impatient. Thanks for reading! ❤️


End file.
